The F-35 Could Mean the End for the Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter
Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet production will cease in 2027, while BAE Systems' Eurofighter Typhoon assembly in the UK has reportedly "essentially stopped" following the completion of a Qatari Air Force contract.
What You Need to Know: Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet production will cease in 2027, while BAE Systems' Eurofighter Typhoon assembly in the UK has reportedly "essentially stopped" following the completion of a Qatari Air Force contract.
-The UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) has relied on the Typhoon since 2003, but attention is shifting toward expanding its F-35B fleet and funding the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) for a sixth-generation fighter.
-Union leaders warn that ending Typhoon production threatens the UK’s ability to maintain a sovereign fast-jet industry, urging the government to order more Typhoons to preserve expertise and manufacturing capacity for future programs like GCAP.
Eurofighter Typhoon at Risk as UK Shifts Focus to F-35s and GCAP
Boeing's production lines for its F/A-18 Super Hornets will run only until 2027 when the aerospace firm is set to complete its contract for the United States Navy. It won't be the first such production line to grind to a halt this decade – as the UK's Telegraph newspaper is reporting that union chiefs at BAE Systems' facility near Preston are warning workers that the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon has "essentially stopped" after the company concluded a £6 billion ($7.6 billion) contract for the Qatari Air Force.
"The factory, which is part of the Eurofighter consortium, still makes front fuselages for jets ordered by Germany, Spain and other countries, but these are sent abroad for final assembly of the aircraft in Europe," the British newspaper of record reported.
To date, the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium has delivered more than 550 of the aircraft to various partners and clients. In addition to being operated by the RAF, it is also in service with the militaries of Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.
End of the Storm – Possibly for the UK
The UK's Royal Air Force has operated the Typhoon since 2003, and it had its combat debut in 2011. It remains the frontline British fighter and is based at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby.
However, London is now debating whether it should expand its fleet of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant that can operate from the Royal Navy's two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. The UK is also a partner with Italy and Japan on the Global Combat Air Programme to develop an optionally-manned sixth-generation fighter and accompanying systems.
As a result, the UK is determining where to best spend its money – and for now, it appears the fifth-generation F-35 could win out, while funds are also directed to the GCAP.
"As it stands as I write this letter, there are currently no Typhoons being final assembled at Warton and no orders for future aircraft, essentially production has stopped for British-built Typhoon aircraft," the joint unions representing BAE Systems workers at Warton and Samlesbury wrote in a letter to Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, member of Parliament (MP) for Slough, the UK Defence Journal reported.
Will It Impact the GCAP?
There is now concern that cutting the Eurofighter Typhoon program short could impact the GCAP, as British industry won't retain the workers to build the next generation of fighter aircraft if the RAF and Royal Navy move forward with the F-35 instead.
"This would be a hammer blow to the British aircraft industry and potentially could end the design, manufacture and assembly of fast jets in this country, seriously damaging our sovereign capability," wrote Steve McGuiness, a Unite executive council member, per The Telegraph.
McGuiness called upon the Labour government to "commit to ordering a squadron of 24 Typhoon jets," arguing that the UK is now the only member of the Eurofighter Consortium not to have any Typhoons on order.
"We are becoming increasingly concerned with reports that the Typhoons being retired from active RAF service are to be replaced with American-built F-35A aircraft," the Unite the Union member added. "This would be a hammer blow to the British aircraft industry and potentially could end the design, manufacture and assembly of fast jets in this country, seriously damaging our sovereign capability."
Last month, the Labour government committed to raising the UK's defense spending to 2.5% of GDP, but even with the increase, it seems there is only so much money to go around for the RAF's fleet of fighters.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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